"My project this spring will be refinishing our ipe deck. It's been a few years, and I want to be sure to do it right. Can you help me out with the process? - Diego via email
Brooke Cambridge, owner of BLC Painting in Boston, replies: The first move when refinishing a deck is to assess your decking. Harder woods such as ipe are treated differently than soft ones such as cedar. What's its condition? I choose from one of three categories: The stain or finish is failing or peeling, the stain or finish is looking dull and faded, or the wood is unstained but has larked and dulled over time. ... "
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